TV dinner

A TV dinner (also called prepackaged meal, ready-made meal,ready meal, frozen dinner, frozen meal, microwave meal) is a prepackaged frozen or chilled meal that usually comes as an individual portion. It requires very little preparation and contains all the elements for a single-serving meal. A TV dinner in the USA usually consists of a cut of meat, usually beef or chicken; a vegetable, such as peas, carrots, corn, or potatoes; and sometimes a dessert, such as a brownie or apple cobbler. The entrée could also be pasta or a common type of fish, such as Atlantic cod. Rice is a common side item. In Europe the meals can be more diverse, with items such as Indian or Chinese meals being common in the UK.

The term TV dinner is a genericized trademark originally used for a brand of packaged meal developed in 1953 by C.A. Swanson & Sons (the name in full was TV Brand Frozen Dinner). In the United States the term remains synonymous with any prepackaged dinner purchased frozen in a supermarket and heated at home.